EPISODE 4
Dahlia trudged into her room, her legs heavy with the weight of her thoughts. She collapsed onto her bed, her mind reeling from the revelation about Richard. She had never suspected him of being a vampire, and the discovery left her reeling. No wonder he had been so understanding and accepting of her own nature. It all made sense now - his knowledge, his calm demeanor in the face of her fangs and claws.
As she lay there, her thoughts raced with questions and doubts. Was this what Harrison had been hinting at? Did he know his brother was a vampire, and was he one himself? The possibilities swirled in her mind like a maelstrom, leaving her feeling dizzy and disoriented.
Just as she was starting to drift into a haze of confusion, she heard the front door open. Her heart skipped a beat as she quickly sat up and smoothed out her dress, trying to compose herself. She padded softly into the living room, her eyes fixed on the figure standing with its back to her.
"Who are you?" Dahlia demanded, her voice firm but laced with a hint of uncertainty.
Richard turned to face her, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Funny how you aren't familiar with my scent by now," he said, his eyes glinting with a knowing light.
Dahlia's anger flared, her fists clenched at her sides. "What are you doing here?" she spat, her voice low and venomous.
Richard's expression turned contrite, his shoulders slumping in a gesture of defeat. "Dahlia, I'm really sorry I didn't tell you...I just couldn't bring myself to do it."
Dahlia's laugh was harsh and mocking. "What do I care?" she sneered, turning away from him. "Get out of my house and never show your face to me again."
Richard took a step forward, his eyes pleading. "I have something to tell you before I leave," he protested.
But Dahlia cut him off, her voice icy. "Keep whatever rubbish you have in your mouth to yourself!"
Richard's jaw clenched, his eyes flashing with determination. "I'm going to say it anyway," he said, his voice firm. "I was the one who bit you."
Dahlia's head whipped around, her eyes narrowing in disbelief. "You did what?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.
Richard's eyes dropped, his head bowed in shame. "I was the one who bit you," he repeated, his voice heavy with regret.
Dahlia's legs buckled beneath her, and she felt herself plummeting towards the floor. But before she could hit the ground, Richard swooped in and caught her, gently lowering her onto the sofa.
"Dahlia, I'm really sorry," he said, his eyes filled with remorse. "I didn't want to tell you this, but I also didn't want you hearing it from someone else."
Dahlia's gaze was icy, her voice laced with disdain. "It would have been better if someone else told me. Then I wouldn't believe it."
Richard's face contorted in a pleading expression. "I can explain. I was compelled, Dahlia. I swear it. I didn't know what I was doing, and I completely forgot until I found out you were a vampire. Then everything came back to me."
But Dahlia was having none of it. She pushed him away, her eyes blazing with fury. "You expect me to believe that cheap lie? I was normal before that thing happened. I could eat and drink what I wanted. I didn't have to be scared of killing someone. I didn't have to kill anyone before you did that!"
She rose from the sofa, her voice dripping with venom. "I will never, ever forgive you." With that, she stormed off to her room, leaving Richard standing alone in the living room.
Minutes later after Richard had left, Lucita burst into the house, her face twisted in anger. "Bitch! Where the hell are you? Come out now!" she screamed.
Dahlia recognized the slur - Lucita's go-to insult lately. She emerged from her room, standing in the doorway as Lucita raged on.
"What do you want again? I thought I sent you off" Dahlia asked, her voice detached.
"You thought you sent me off?" Lucita sneered. "You really are crazy."
Dahlia's eyes narrowed. "I warned you not to use those words on me."
Lucita waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, spare me that trash. Leave Richard alone for me."
Dahlia's laughter was cold. "Leave Richard? What are you, his wife?"
Lucita's face reddened, but before she could respond, Dahlia's gaze fell upon the scratch she had left on Lucita's face earlier. It was gone, vanished without a trace. Dahlia's eyes widened in surprise, and Lucita laughed, a cold, mirthless sound.
Lucita's eyes gleamed with a mischievous spark as she revealed her secret. "Yes, I'm a vampire now."
Dahlia's eyes widened in shock, her voice barely above a whisper. "What? How did you...? You know about vampires?"
Lucita's smile grew wider, her fangs glinting in the light. "Intimately, darling. And for your information, Richard doesn't give a damn about you. That's why he bit you and left you for dead at the club. You were just a snack, a mere mortal."
Dahlia's face flushed with anger, her fists clenched at her sides. "You're the reason I was bitten, Lucita! Everything that's happening to me now is because of you! You ruined my life, and now you have the nerve to rub it in my face?"
Lucita's laughter was low and husky, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Oh, come on, Dahlia. You have to admit, being a vampire has its perks. No more tedious commutes, no more makeup routines. And eternal life, of course."
Dahlia's voice rose in indignation, her eyes blazing with fury. "I didn't ask for this, Lucita! I hated my life before, and now it's even worse. Immortality feels like a curse, a constant reminder of what I've lost."
Lucita's expression turned cold, her voice dripping with malice. "You got the bite, Dahlia, and I got mine. But you need to leave Richard alone. He's mine now, and he only talks to you out of guilt. Don't get any funny ideas about winning him over."
Dahlia's laughter was bitter, her eyes flashing with defiance. "You think you own him, Lucita? He's using you, just like he used me. You're just a pawn in his game."
Dahlia's voice was laced with sarcasm as she asked, "Funny ideas?" She spun around, her laughter echoing through the room like a cold, mirthless melody. The sound sent a shiver down Lucita's spine, but she refused to back down. Dahlia's eyes gleamed with a mischievous spark, her lips curling into a sly smile.
Lucita's expression remained unyielding, her eyes fixed on Dahlia with a calculating intensity that seemed to bore into her soul. Dahlia knew that look all too well; it was the same one Lucita wore when she was plotting her next move. But Dahlia was not intimidated. She took a step closer, her eyes locked on Lucita's, her voice dripping with sweet venom.
"I'm not getting any funny ideas, Lucita," she said, her tone low and husky. "But I will give you a taste of your own medicine. You see, Richard was just here, in this very room, mere moments ago. His scent still lingers, a sweet reminder of the truth you refuse to acknowledge." Dahlia's eyes flashed with a fierce light, her words hanging in the air like a challenge.
Lucita's eyes narrowed, her face pale with rage, her fists clenched at her sides as if she struggled to contain her fury. Dahlia's smile grew wider, her eyes glinting with a fierce light that seemed to dance in the dimly lit room. She knew she was pushing Lucita's buttons, but she couldn't resist the opportunity to stir the pot.
"And besides, Richard was not in his right mind when he sank his fangs into my flesh, and possibly yours, if he indeed bit you," Dahlia said, her voice laced with skepticism. She pointed a accusing finger at Lucita, her eyes blazing with accusation. "You are the root of all this chaos, Lucita. Your selfishness and recklessness have brought us to this point."
Dahlia's words dripped with venom, her tone low and menacing. She took a step closer, her eyes locked on Lucita's, her voice rising in intensity. "You called me out in the dead of night, begging for my help, and this is how you repay me? By messing up my life even further? If I were you, I'd run right now, before I do something we'll both regret."
Lucita's eyes blazed with fury as she spat, "I hate you so much!" Dahlia's words had struck a raw nerve, and she could see the anger coursing through Lucita's veins like a potent elixir.
Dahlia's smile was triumphant, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. She had pushed Lucita's buttons, and the reaction was everything she had hoped for.
"You're always counting everything you've done for me," Lucita snarled, her voice venomous. "You think you're the only one who's done something for this friendship?"
"Get out!" Dahlia commanded, her voice firm and authoritative. "Leave my sight before I do something I regret."
Lucita's response was a low, menacing growl. "I'll get you for this, Dahlia. You haven't seen the last of me." With that, she turned and stormed out of the house, leaving Dahlia seething with rage.
"Bitch!" Dahlia screamed, her fists clenched, her eyes blazing with fury. She punched the television, the screen shattering into a thousand pieces as blood gushed from her wounded hands. She collapsed to the floor, fuming with rage, the sound of shattering glass and her own labored breathing the only sounds in the silence that followed.
The air was heavy with tension, the room charged with the aftermath of their explosive argument. Dahlia's chest heaved with anger, her mind racing with the bitter taste of betrayal. She knew this was far from over. The battle lines had been drawn, and only time would tell who would emerge victorious.
*
Richard stormed into his house, ignoring his mother's call, his feet pounding the floor with a sense of urgency. His mind raced with anger, fueled by Dahlia's words - Harrison had betrayed him, revealing his darkest secret. He struggled to keep his composure in front of Dahlia, but the moment he stepped out of her house, his restraint crumbled. Blinded by rage, he marched towards Harrison's room, ready to unleash his fury.
Richard was furious he was trying to get Lucita not to tell about the secret little did he know, his loudmouthed older brother had already spilled the beans, revealing Richard's vampire secret to Dahlia. Harrison had a knack for making Richard look bad, and this time was no exception. Richard sought someone to blame for Dahlia's lack of understanding, and Harrison was the perfect target.
But who could truly comprehend the twisted reasoning behind turning someone into a monster? Certainly not Dahlia, who still grappled with the guilt of killing someone while in a state of frenzy. Her conscience was still reeling, and Richard's actions only added fuel to the fire. Only someone like Lucita, driven by a thirst for power, might understand his motivations, but even that was a stretch.
As Richard approached Harrison's room, his anger reached a boiling point. Richard's eyes blazed with fury, his face twisted in a snarl as he pinned Harrison against the wall, his grip on his brother's neck tightening like a vice. "You bastard!" he spat, his voice low and menacing. "What did you tell her? What did you tell Dahlia?" he demanded, his eyes flashing with a blood-red intensity.
Harrison's smirk was infuriating, his eyes gleaming with a mischievous light. "I simply told her the kind of monster you are," he lied, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Richard's anger exploded, his fist connecting with Harrison's face in a brutal blow that sent him crashing to the floor. Hannah's scream echoed through the room, her voice shrill with alarm. "What are you doing? Stop it, Richard!"
But Richard was beyond reason, his rage consuming him like a wildfire. "Tell him to stop messing around with my life!" he bellowed, his eyes blazing with fury.
Harrison struggled to his feet, his nose torn and bleeding, his shirt stained with crimson. "Mother, let him be," he said, his voice laced with a defiant edge. "I've lost other fights to him, but this one, I'm not backing down."
With a fierce glance at Richard, Harrison turned and walked out of the room, leaving behind a trail of tension and the promise of a bitter confrontation to come.
Harrison's hands trembled as he dialed Anthon's number, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "Hey!" he said, wincing in pain as he spoke.
"What's up?" Anthon's voice was laced with concern.
"Nothing much," Harrison replied, his voice tight with tension. "I need you to find someone for me. Dahlia Spivot. Get me her location."
Anthon's tone shifted from casual to alert. "You into her?"
Harrison's laugh was dry, laced with sarcasm. "Just playing games, Anthon. Call me when you find out."
He ended the call, his mind racing with strategies. Hannah's voice broke the silence, her tone firm but gentle. "Son, what's your problem?"
Richard's eyes flashed with anger, his jaw clenched. "Harrison told Dahlia I'm a vampire."
Hannah's expression turned grave. "The human girl? Did she say he told her point-blank?"
Richard's frustration boiled over. "He implied it, Mother! And now she won't even listen to me."
Hannah's eyes narrowed. "But Richard, Dahlia isn't human, is she?"
Richard's gaze dropped, his voice barely audible. "I accidentally bit her at a club. I didn't know what I was doing. I was compelled."
Hannah's face paled, her voice firm. "Have you told Dahlia about this?"
Richard nodded, his eyes filled with regret. "That's why she's mad at me."
Hannah's hand on his shoulder was warm, comforting. "Give her time, Richard. She'll come around."
Harrison's wheels spun out of his family's driveway, leaving a trail of dust and anger in his wake. He sped towards Dahlia's apartment hostel, his heart racing with a mix of emotions - anger, hurt, and a hint of desperation. As he pulled up to the hostel, the darkness of the night seemed to swallow him whole.
He killed the engine and stepped out into the eerie silence, the only sound being the creaking of trees and the distant hum of a city that seemed to be sleeping with one eye open. The hostel loomed before him, its windows like empty eyes staring back.
With a deep breath, he approached the entrance, his footsteps echoing off the walls like a death sentence. He pushed open the door and stepped inside, the creaking of the door echoing through the stillness like a warning.
He walked up to the second room, his heart pounding in his chest like a drum. He took two deep breaths, his hand reaching out to press the doorbell. The sound echoed through the stillness like a scream.
A groan followed, low and menacing, sending a shiver down his spine. "Who is it?" a voice growled from inside, the tone laced with hostility.
Harrison's nerves snapped him back to reality. He took another deep breath, his eyes fixed on the door, his voice steady. "It's me, Harrison."
The door flung open, and Dahlia stood before him, her face etched with concern. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her eyes widening as she took in his blood-stained body.
"I'm hurt," he said, his voice laced with vulnerability.
Dahlia's expression softened, and she pulled him inside, her hands gentle on his wounds. "Richard hit me," he revealed, his eyes locked on hers.
A flicker of emotion crossed her face at the mention of Richard's name. She tended to his wounds with a tender touch, her fingers grazing his skin. Harrison's heart raced as he gazed at her, his admiration genuine. "You have a heart of gold," he said, his voice filled with gratitude.
Dahlia's response was laced with sadness. "I don't have a heart anymore."
Harrison's eyes widened, regret washing over him. "Sorry about what I said earlier today," he apologized, his voice sincere. "I was just pissed off about work."
Dahlia's expression softened, and she offered a gentle smile. "I didn't take it to heart."
As she prepared to leave for her night class, Harrison asked, "Is it okay if I sleep here today? I'm not ready to face Richard yet."
Dahlia's nod was reassuring. "Sure, make yourself comfortable." And with that, she disappeared into the night, leaving Harrison alone with his thoughts.